Statehood The 46th state Nov. 16, 1907 Captial Oklahoma City State Motto Labor conquers all things Origin of State Name The name was derived by combining the Choctaw words for red and people. State Nickname The Sooner State The nickname describes land-hungry settlers, who literally jumped the starting gun that opened one section of the territory to settlement. Interesting Facts Oklahoma was among the states hardest hit by the Great Depression and the drought that created the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. Attendance at school is compulsory for children ages 5 to 18 in Oklahoma, the longest education commitment of any state in the nation. Oklahoma was mostly Indian Territory until the late 1800s.